Field Hockey Tip

Field Hockey for Beginners

As a player or as a parent, starting a new sport can be daunting. Buying new gear and learning new positions and rules can be intimidating. Here is a guide to help you get started, and some helpful tips we teach at our field hockey camps, to get you on the right track for beginner field hockey players and parents. 

1. Invest in a composite stick for your athlete. If this is a sport you plan to stay in for a while, a composite sick will be a good long term investment. While it may be more money upfront, it will last longer than wood stick options. Composite sticks also give players more control and power. When choosing your stick, a combination of height and field position will impact which stick you choose. 

2. Go to an overnight field hockey camp or a field hockey skills clinic. Practicing skills with a coach watching will help you refine your skills faster and better. Coaches will be able to catch your mistakes before you develop them, and show you how to fix them. Perfect practice makes perfect. Camps and clinics hire trained coaches who specialize in working with all skill levels, and know how to best communicate new skills to beginners. When at a skills camp or clinic, you may also have the opportunity to try out difference positions and get a feel for all of them with specialty coaches. 

3. Watch as much field hockey as you are able to. Try to watch professionals, locals, and anyone you can. When watching, look for the person playing your position. See how they respond to different scenarios, and what they do when they have the ball. Notice how they position themselves when receiving the ball and what he or she does and doesn’t do.

4. Lastly have fun and hustle hard. With any new sport you get as much as you give. Approach every practice with a positive attitude and learn from every mistake.  

Players, coaches, and parents interested in Nike Field Hockey Camps can visit www.USSportscamps.com/fieldhockey or call 1-800-645-3226.